In a short time it had won a very considerable success, though perhaps not the actual majority of the population.

Many of the poor, hitherto Anabaptists, thronged to it in hopes of social betterment.

Many adventurers with no motive but to stir the waters in which they might fish joined the new party.

But on the whole, as its appeal was primarily moral and religious, its constituency was the more substantial, progressive, and intelligent part of the community.
The greatest weakness of the Protestants was their {249} division.
Lutheran, Calvinist, and Anabaptist continued to compete for the leadership and hated each other cordially.

The Calvinists themselves were divided into two parties, the "Rekkelijken" or "Compromisers" and the "Preciesen" or "Stalwarts." Moreover there were various other shades of opinion, not amounting quite to new churches.